1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand control for the operation of the brake and accelerator pedals of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of hand controls to operate the accelerator and brake pedal of an automobile is well known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,065,647, issued to A. Whitmore on Nov. 27, 1962, 4,424,723 issued to D. A. Gockel on Jan. 10, 1984, 4,788,879, issued to D. L. Ulrich on Dec. 6, 1988, and 5,121,651, issued to N. W. Bristow on Jun. 16, 1992 each show a type of hand control device for motor vehicles wherein two independent shafts engage the brake and accelerator pedals of an automobile and where the handle for each shaft is independent and freely engageable. All of the above patents refer to devices which require the operator to kneel or otherwise reach all the way down to the pedals to attach the device in an automobile.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,777,335 issued to W. M. Engberg et al. on Jan. 15, 1957, 4,946,013 issued to A. C. Conlyn, Jr. et al. on Aug. 7, 1990, 5,025,905 issued to C. R. Lenz on Jun. 25, 1991, and 5,129,492, issued to C. R. Lenz et al. on Jul. 14, 1992 illustrate the concept of a hand control for the brake and accelerator pedals, wherein each shaft that is connected to a pedal is also attached to a single, perpendicular shaft which acts as the control mechanism and operates both pedals.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,481,966 issued to H. L. Zivi on Sep. 13, 1949 and U. K. Patent No. 1,539,880, issued to E. Aston on Feb. 7, 1979, illustrate hand controls that only attach to, and operate, a single pedal. U.S. Pat. 5,103,946 issued to J. V. Masters et al. on Apr. 14, 1992 shows a handle structure that is attached to the steering column of a vehicle and operates the brake and accelerator pedals.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.